EU measures to reduce CO2 emissions
The European Commission decided that it needed car manufacturers to reduce the average CO2 emissions for all new cars back in 1998, and it set out to create new binding targets to reduce CO2 levels the following year.
These targets include:
CO2 Reduction to 130g/km
The target is for an overall European fleet average of 130g/km of CO2 emissions by 2015.
Specific Emissions Targets
Each manufacturer has been given a specific emissions target depending on the type and quantity of cars they sell to buyers every year. Giving each manufacturer a limit of 130g/km of CO2 would be restrictive for those who specialise in more powerful, luxury models.
Further Targets from 2021
The European Commission agreed to set further targets for CO2 reduction, setting the average target levels after this time to 95g CO2/km (95% fleet phase in from 2020)
Why reduce CO2 emissions
CO2 is responsible for creating key greenhouse gases, that left uncontrolled would result in more severe weather across the globe, including an increase in the number of floods, droughts, and heatwaves.
In fact the VCA suggest that the whole pattern of the worlds' weather could change if we don't act now to reduce the quantity of CO2 we're pumping into the atmosphere.
It's clear that our need (and desire) to have faster, more powerful modes of transport is increasing, especially as the world's population grows, year on year. This need for more transportation results in more harmful greenhouse gases being released into our atmosphere.
We can only stop the adverse effects of global changes to our weather by reducing the CO2 we're emitting.
